City of Columbus, GA Columbus Connection, 5 Jun 2023

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From YouTube: Columbus Connections - The Georgia Police & Fire Games

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Columbus Connections - The Georgia Police & Fire Games

A

It's the Olympics for First Responders, stick around for the next edition of Columbus connection to find out more.

A

Welcome to this edition of Columbus connection, I'm Brittany Santiago and today we're going to talk about the Georgia police and fire games. Now. This is something special for First Responders and it's something just for First Responders, but the community is always invited to come out and support. I am joined today by deputy chief Daniel Macon, with the Columbus fire and EMS.

B

Yes, ma'am. Thank you for having me.

A

Of course, thank you for being here, so, let's get into it. um Okay, the Georgia, Police and Fire Games tell us about it. How does this come about? Okay,.

B

So the Georgia police and fire games has been around in excess of 25 years every couple of years. A new city goes in and they bid for the contract to have the games in their City. We were one of the first cities to host the Georgia police and fire games back in 2000 2001, where we held uh almost 1200 competitors for all types of sports it has grown since then, and since the Kobe years has kind of tapered down and we're trying to ramp it back up.

A

And bring it back to Columbus, so you talked about the sports. What kind of sports can what? What will they be participating in.

B

So there's around 35 different competitions, um so so the staple Sports is going to be your toughest firefighter your toughest uh police officer or cop. um But we have everything from bass, fishing and bowling to archery a lot of tactical stuff for police officers. The motorcycle rodeo toughest competitor CrossFit, you name it. If you have a hobby in sports, we're probably we're probably hosting it and.

A

Now we did say at the beginning like this is for First Responders, so that means that there will be no civilians or anything like that competing unless they are at.

B

The department that is correct we allow uh basically First Responders and first responder type other individuals such as dispatchers EMS Personnel park rangers. They will be allowed to compete as well um and we will allow retired First Responders as well into the games right.

A

A

You're on and let's say you know any department they can.

B

Because you're.

A

On the First Responders, all right.

B

The public is welcome to come, watch any and every event they'd like to now. Each event is held in a special location uh in Columbus. We try to keep everything from um within a Four mile radius of what they call the host hotel, which is going to be the downtown Marriott. We're trying to keep everything in that location. There are a couple of events that we wouldn't lucky enough to keep in that location.

B

We have a couple like clay, shooting, uh sniper, shooting which will be held out at Fort Benning because of the range and whatnot, but most of everything will be held within Downtown Columbus, okay,.

A

Now is there a fee.

B

There's no fee for spectators and actually the best day for spectators will be Saturday, um June 24th, which would be what we call Touch a Truck day right now we have on schedule to have fire trucks. Some food vendors, police, cars. There are mrap, Vehicles motorcycles, we're trying to invite the military, so they can bring out some tanks. A helicopter, so it'll be an event where you can come out. Watch your First Responders play softball watch the canine competition as well, be able to climb up on your favorite uh Public, Safety or military vehicle.

A

Like a lot of fun, so it's being held in Columbus, but it's not just the Columbus Police Department, Columbus fire and EMS, or the Muskogee County Sheriff's Office. This is statewide right. It.

B

Is Statewide and actually this year is the first year we're allowing other states to come in so it's uh we have several competitors already from different entities all over the state coming in. It's already signed up to compete, but we're opening it up to our Alabama neighbors as well, and if anybody wants to travel further than that they're more than welcome to come. um But uh it's it's open to anybody. That's in the public safety, family, nice.

A

For a schedule like a list of all the events but tell us the days, let's, let's go back, what are the.

B

A

Is this an important.

B

Part, the dates are uh they're, actually June, uh 18th all the way through June 24th, so it starts to Sunday, Father's Day and leads up to uh the Saturday, the 24th uh and each day uh like the first day, it starts off with just a triathlon at Callaway Gardens each day the events get we have more and more events. So, by the time we get to Friday we're having a a slew of events, um they'll be like I, said: they'll, be all over Columbus all.

A

Right in for people to get that full schedule, where can they go like? Where can they go to find more.

B

Information easiest place to find that is, go to uh columbusportscouncil.com and you can go down and find the police and fire games Tab and go down. And you can see the full list of uh of events and their locations.

A

It's back to the city: what does this mean for the city of Columbus like this is the second time and we're looking to build it each time and we got the bid again so right.

B

Well, I think, uh first and foremost for myself and I think uh and for most departments we're all under new leadership from years past. So we have. You know three new uh department heads in the in the three major departments here so CPD and uh fire department I think it's a time for us to come together and still be at a park where we can. We can compete and have some camaraderie have a little bit of bragging rights in a and a little bit of friendly competition.

A

As well, we do we.

B

Do like breaking rights but uh I think I. Think it just is it's a way for us to come together and uh be able to uh do something fun, because when we do come together, it's always in the worst of times where it's. uh You know we're only called when there's an emergency going on so so.

A

This is good for Unity and um just bringing us all together as First Responders I um I agree with that. I would love that.

B

And it's going.

A

To be a lot of fun, I don't know, I may have to challenge you to that. Turning blue burger challenge I've been thinking about it.

B

Well, you could probably challenge me: I'm, not a fast eater, even though it looks like I could probably eat a lot, um but anything else, I could tell you and and they're probably going to kill me for uh saying this, but I know uh we're trying to call out the three department heads to come to a corn hole challenge. So we're going to see if we can get that I have uh mayor Henderson kind of behind me kind of uh pushing that he's going to be the referee.

B

Well, we don't know, let's see how that goes, uh and then like I was just telling you um you know we'll let the cat out the bag. Now uh we've actually made a medal count uh board for the three major departments.

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B

So whoever has that biggest number is going to get the bragging rights until next year and FYI. We uh you host it two years in a row, so we will have the police safari games here again next year.

A

All right well, thank you.

B

A

Appreciate it, we look forward to it obviously, and we're going to have that information um about. You know when it's going to be June, 18th 18th.

B

Through 24th June.

A

18Th through the 24th anybody who wants to come out and um spectate they can at no cost registration, let's hit on that for our First Responders everywhere. If they.

B

Want same location, you can go to Columbus, Sports, Council, .com or maybe dot org. Don't hold me to either one of those but Columbus Sports, Council and uh police and fire games tab. You can go into the event registration and it it's it's as easy as uh one two three you just got to go in and pay and and pick uh the category you want to compete in, and uh it's just that easy perfect.

A

And also be sure to follow the Georgia police and fire games on Facebook, because they also have those um posts and updates. And things of.

B

That, yes, ma'am Georgia police fire games, we do have the Facebook page and you will see some friendly uh I guess you would call it trash talking.

A

Trash talking so we got some friendly.

B

Trash talking going on so I hope that ramps up a little bit and and we get some good competitive uh games out of it.

A

For sure all right, thank you so much again, I promise I, won't ask you any more questions, but this has been this week's edition of Columbus connection be sure to come out and support our First Responders and the Georgia police and fire games. We look forward to it and just come out have fun it's going to be great. Thank you.